Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-07-28
A Pet Blue.jay.

Olive T. Miller in the atlantic writes
of her feathery pet as follows: When
he has more Of any special dainty
than he can eat at the moment, as meat
or bread and milk, he hides it at the
back of his tray, And when outside,
nothing can be droller than the air of
concern with which he goes around
the floor, picking UP any small thing
he finds left purposely for him, a burnt
match, small key, stray pins, or a
marble, and seeks the very best and
most secluded spot in the room in
which to hide it. A pin he takes
lengthwise in his mouth, which he
closes as though he had swallowed it,
and at first I feared he had. He has
no doubt about the best place for that;
he long ago decided that between the
leaves Of book safest So he pro-
ceeds to find a convenient volume and
thrusts the pin far in out of sight. A
match gives him the most, trouble.
He tries the cracks under the grooves
in the moulding of the doors, the base
board, between the mating and the
wall, or under rocker; each place he
puts in carefully and pounds itin, then
hops off, attempting to look uncon-
'cerned, as if he had not been doing
anything. faf #sE 9s.fr5.a@ 9.
But If he sees that he is observed or
the match is too plainly in sight he re
moves it and begins again, running
and hopping around on the floor with
the most solemn and business-like air,
as though he had the affairs of the nation
on his shoulders, the match thrust
nearly the whole length into his mouth.
The place usually decided upon is an
opening between the breadths of mat
ting. It is amusing when he chances
to get hold of a box of matches, ac-
cidentally left open, for he feels the
necessity and Importance of disposing
of each one, andis busy and Industrious
in proportion to the task before him.
1t is not so pleasant however, when in
his hammering he sets one off. as he
often does; for they are 'parlor
matches" and light with a small ex-
plosion, which frightens him half out
Of his wits, and me as well, lest he
should set the house afire. The busi-
ness of safely and securely secreting
one match will frequently occupy him
half an hour.
He finds the oldest hiding places,
as in the caster between the wheel and
its frame; up inside the seat Of a stuffed
chair, to reach which he flies up on the
webbing and goes in among the springs;
in the side of my slipper while on my
foot; in the loop of bow; in the plaits
of rufiie; under pillow. Often when
I get up shower of the jays treasures
falls from various hiding places about
my dress mails, matches, ,shoe-buttons,
and others; and / am never sure that
Twill not find soft, milk-soaked bread in,
my slipper. But the latest discovery
and most annoying of his receptacles,
is my hair. He delights in standing:
on my shoulder, and hesoon discovered
several desirable hiding places con-
veniently near, such as my ear and
under the loosely-dressed hair. I did,
not object to his using these, but when
he attempted to tuck away some choice
thing between my lips | rebelled. I
never expect to find keyhole that he
can reach free from bread-crumbs,
and the openings of my waste basket
are usually decorated with objects nalf
driven in.